Last weekend was good. I went shopping for the next two month’s worth of supplies. I also bought a new table-top sander! Which is SO COOL! Me and Jim made made 11 wooden swords this weekend! Jim is a cutting and sanding machine. So now I have a pile of swords waiting to be primed, painted and decorated – and its all the swords we have due total. So Im happy to think that we will be getting out swords due all the way in mid-January in the next month or so! XD

I found little time to work on my own costume this past week, but thats okay because I can make up for it this weekend! Until then, this is the second hint:

Anime Matsuri
March 21-23, 2008
The Woodlands, TX
Cosplay Guest: Judging the cosplay contest, giving panels, and hanging out! I will be giving a special panel on cosplay commissioning!

TNT Mexico
May 1-4, 2008
Mexico
Cosplay Guest: Judging the cosplay contest, giving panels, and hanging out! I also get to do a press confrence!

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I will be be debuting a brand new fancy costume there – but right now its a secret! I will make the announcement a week before the con! So stay tuned!

Until then, this is your hint for the week:

Here are the top three reasons I love Dragon*Con:

1. It’s for people of all ages! Since 1998 I have mainly attended anime cons, and it’s just the truth that anime cons tend to have predominantly younger people in attendance. That in itself is fine, and I will always love anime cons, but at 25 I have moments where I start to feel… old.

The plus side to Dragon*Con is that it truly is all-ages- you can see anyone from pre-teen Naruto fans to grizzled 65-year-old bearded guys there. Any EVERYONE is great. With the average age being a little older you get more of a “I’m a professional with a good job” than “I’m still in school and living with my mom.” There are more adult themes and parties, and I know I can wear something skimpy if I want without any “internet OMG’s” from the Dragon*Con crowd post-con. Anime cons are generally rated ‘PG,’ while Dragon*Con is ‘G’ through ‘R’. An example of G would be the Disney photoshoot (unless you’re from the Black Cauldron, then your rated PG) it’s PG all day long, R at all the late night parties (and the “Dragon*con-After_Dark” costume contest).

This is how I feel sometimes at anime cons.

2 There is harmony between all “religions” and creeds. Have you ever witnessed the Stormtroopers showing up at an anime con? And the evil-eye exchange? I can’t say if the Stormtroopers deliver (they are wearing masks after all) but I do see it from the anime fans. Definitely a certain “you’re at the wrong con” feeling.

Dragon*Con is a wonderful cross-section of all nerddoms and it’s totally beautiful! From pop-culture to totally obscure you will find yourself at home amongst other fans of your ilk. I just thing there is something very pleasant about being able to submerge myself in all my nerdiness at once! J I can dress as Racheal from Blade Runner (and people know who I am!) while standing in line to see a star from Harry Potter, then stop off in the dealers room to buy a plushie of chathulu, and top it all off by seeing someone dressed as the Borg Queen. That’s a good day.

"C'mon people, now/smile on your brother,
ev'ry-body get together,
try to love one another right now"

3. There are many, many awesome costumes! You will be impressed non-stop with all the costumes at Dragon*Con. There are many beautiful costumes and so much diversity. It’s just one of those big cons that people bring their best work to! I don’t even need to say a lot about this, because the pics speak for themselves. So go out and look for them!

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I have only attended Dragon*Con for two years so I can’t give you “the tour” as thoroughly as someone who has been attending for years and years can. However, I will say that I am dedicated to trying to go back every year- barring a severe medical condition or homelessness, of course.

Homeless and still attending.

to view more photos of this costume and others by Initial Don please check out his site!
http://www.myspace.com/initial_sasuke

To see more photos please check out Pam’s pages!
http://www.myspace.com/pamelaneko

Im currently prepping and plotting a bunch of new pics and other interesting things to look at for limebarbcosplay.com. And I will soon be adding yet another bajillion commission costumes to limebarb.com. And I will actually be making a costume or two for myself, and some other small projects. However right now Im just in limbo…

Im finally at the ‘slow season’ of commission work, the tiny (less than) 3 months in the year when people are thinking about the holidays so they are thinking less about costumes. So its nice to get a break after the most hectic October of my life, where all I did is sew, and sleep, and maybe eat somewhere in between. Dont get me wrong, I love my job and cant imagine doing anything else, but I also love the occasional bit free moment.

So right now Im just doing some catch up work, some minor costume edits, and focusing on getting remaining November and all December orders out the door. Im hoping to get them all out in the next two weeks so I have almost all of December to do nothing but sit on my ass and pamper myself. XD I think I can do that after another 200+ commissions completed these past 9 months!

So I guess Im just saying good luck to myself … and you will be seeing more interesting things from me shortly!